The document discusses the idea of building a municipal broadband network in Buffalo, New York, similar to networks created in other cities. It notes that electricity was a major infrastructure development in the 20th century, and broadband access will be equally or more important in the 21st century. Precedent exists for municipal networks in places like Chattanooga, Tennessee. A network could connect schools and government buildings, save money by eliminating leased lines, and provide benefits like economic development, telemedicine, education, and bridging the digital divide.

2. City of Light 2.0

3. ● “Electrification has been perhaps the single most important
source of useful work for production of goods and services.”
● Electrification has been called “the greatest engineering
achievement of the 20th century”.
● Electricity changed the way we power our world.
● Broadband access is changing the way we know our world.
Electricity Is
Power
Broadband Is
Knowledge

4. ● What is a municipal network?
● Is there precedent?
● Is it viable in Buffalo?

6. Google rolled out a trial of Google Fiber
in Palo Alto, CA in Summer of 2011
EPB had already offered
symmetrical gig up/down
service in Chattanooga,
TN in September 2010
Local communities can lead the way,
ahead of even the most innovative
private companies.

7. Where 100/10Mb/s is
available in Erie County
Time Warner has no
current plans of bringing
“Maxx” to Erie County
Verizon has stopped
rolling out FiOS

8. ● Build an ”Institutional Network”, connecting
schools, city/county buildings, anchor institutions:
○ Discontinue leased lines from incumbents
○ bury city-owned fiber
REINVEST
SAVINGS BACK
INTO THE
NETWORK

9. Cheaper
Telemedicine
Improved
Service
Eliminating
Travel
Time/Costs
Monitoring Of
Chronic Conditions
Enabling
Electronic
Medical
Records

10. Benefitting Buffalo Can Be Our Bottom Line
○ Economic development
○ Improved telemedicine at BNMC/Roswell
○ Bridging the digital divide
○ Faster/improved access for residents
○ Educational opportunities for all students

11. Electricity was the vital infrastructure of the 20th century
Broadband will be just as vital, if not more so, for the
21st century